SCHOOLTech

Louisiana Department of Education

Baton Rouge, LA
 

Introduction/Overview
Organizational Change
Budget & Finance
Professional Development
Technology Infrastructure
Outcomes
Evaluation
Contact Information
 

Introduction/Overview

SCHOOLTech is an EETT Competitive Grant offered to high-need Louisiana schools. Districts receive between $105,000 and $150,000. SCHOOLTech schools are served by a school-based instructional technology facilitator. SCHOOLTech schools:

• Develop instructional strategies that directly address the needs, goals, indicators, and instructional strategies of the technology plan as it relates to overall school improvement to assist teachers to improve teaching practice and to increase student performance.
• Have school-based SCHOOLTech Facilitators who design and model effective technology-based strategies that support and enhance existing curriculum standards.
• Will serve as a catalyst for fundamental change in overall teaching and learning processes while promoting school-based improvement through professional development.

Eligibility Criteria (Audience): High-need LEAs, type 2 charters, special school districts, partnerships with high-need LEAs.
Project Timeline: The SCHOOLTech competitive grants are funded for a 2-year cycle with EETT funding.

Organizational Change

The EETT competitive grants are managed by one assistant director at LCET. New applications and renewal applications are processed, professional development activities carried out, and monitoring and evaluation activities are handled.

Budget & Finance

$3.5 million of 2004–2005 EETT funds have been awarded to the 26 SCHOOLTech grants funded.

Professional Development

Key Components/Activities of the Program
SCHOOLTech will:

1. Identify one or more SCHOOLTech schools.
2. Select SCHOOLTech instructional facilitator(s) in either full-time or half-time capacity.
3. Plan and provide ongoing, sustained, intensive, and high-quality professional development to support the strategies of the school’s technology plan as it relates to overall school improvement and spans a full academic year.
4. Assist teachers and administrators in implementing new instructional strategies including INTECH, INTECH2, Making Connections, Online Professional Development, Universal Design for Learning, and Online Database Resources.
5. Coordinate training with the appropriate regional TLT Center facilitator.
6. Include professional development strategies that promote the development of learning communities.
7. Send a two-person team to two EETT Grant Workshop activities during 2004–2005.

Technology Infrastructure

Technology infrastructure is handled by the district serving as the fiscal agent for these grants. This includes all hardware upgrades, wiring, and technical support. This funding can be used for hardware, software, wiring, and improving access. 25% must be reserved for ongoing, sustained, professional development activities.

Outcomes

Key Outcomes:

• Improved teacher technology proficiency.
• Increased integration of technology into the curriculum at SCHOOLTech sites.
• Improved student motivation and achievement.
• Improved student technology proficiency.
• Twelve district proposals funded in second year of renewal. Fourteen new district proposals funded for a 2-year cycle. These 26 SCHOOLTech grants include three partnership grants with high-need LEAs partnering with neighboring districts.

Evaluation

The project’s success is attributed to the fact that in this model, site-based instructional technology facilitators are modeling technology integration lessons, and designing high-quality professional development based on assessed teacher proficiency needs. Additionally, they plan collaboratively with teachers to effectively integrate the curriculum with technology. Highly qualified SCHOOLTech facilitators with expertise in curriculum and technology training are providing excellent professional development opportunities for their regional educators. This ensures that the training and resources provided to educators are of consistent high quality and meet the needs of educators to be technologically proficient as part of NCLB’s requirements.

Contact Information

Margo Murphy
Margo.Murphy@la.gov
225-763-5575